Official Herb Walks video by Coby Kaufer:

What are Herb Walks?

Herb Walks and Nature Hikes with Lanny Kaufer are interpretive walks and hikes with an emphasis on edible and medicinal plants, those classified as “herbs” for their culinary and medicinal properties. The educational goal of these outings is to learn to positively identify native plants in their natural habitats and discover their roles in the ecology of the area as well as their applications for humans. This type of learning cannot be done accurately with books, photos and web images alone.

On an Herb Walk you will explore the fascinating fields of foraging and ethnobotany as Lanny discusses and demonstrates the plants’ traditional and modern uses for food, home remedies, botanical medicine, survival, wildcrafting, landscaping, camping, crafts, ceremony and more. Herb Walks are usually less than 1 mile distance each way.

A Nature Hike is a longer, more strenuous version of an Herb Walk, an opportunity to spend more time on the trail, covering more ground and observing plants, birds, insects and other wildlife. Nature Hikes are usually 3-5 miles round-trip and may include moderately difficult creek crossings or significant elevation gain. Each event listing includes a description of the difficulty of the walk or hike.

Local Herb Walks in the Ojai area are usually $20 for adults; Nature Hikes are $25. A $5 discount for seniors 62-and-older and a $10 discount for students 13-18 are available by request. Kids 5-12 can attend free, one per adult, by prior arrangement Some walks and hikes include a companion hike for children 5-12 with naturalist Heather King of Ventura Wild. All participants below the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian if not enrolled with Ventura Wild. Events with special guests are priced higher and may not include usual discounts. No dogs or smoking, please, on any walks or hikes. Thanks!

Herb Walks and Nature Hikes are a great way to discover the many wonderful trails of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties of Southern California and meet interesting like-minded people. Lanny also offers private walks and hikes as well as special events with guest presenters.

Please scroll down to the Upcoming Events in the left sidebar or check the Calendar to sign up for a walk or hike from the seashore, up the wooded creeks, across the chaparral slopes, and into the pine-forested mountains. Use the Register for an Event link to sign up right now by entering your name and the name of the event. Due to weather conditions and the holiday season, there is usually nothing scheduled in December and January.

Herb Walks and Nature Hikes held in the Los Padres National Forest are provided under a U.S. Forest Service Special Use Permit for Outfitting and Guiding Services.

Please use this Join the Mailing List link to sign up now for the email list to receive a monthly newsletter and be among the first to learn about new events.

*Hudson, Travis, Ed. Breath of the Sun: Life in Early California as Told by a Chumash Indian, Fernando Librado, to John P. Harrington. Malki Museum Press, Morongo Indian Reservation. Banning, California: 1979.

See Lanny interviewing nursery manager Ron Singer about drought tolerant native plants at the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s Native Plant Nursery in this episode of the “Gardens of Ventura County” video series by filmmaker Robert Barrett:

Here’s Lanny interviewing Executive Director Brian Stark of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy about the Ojai Meadows Preserve in this episode of the “Gardens of Ventura County” video series by filmmaker Robert Barrett:

“Gardens of the Wild with Lanny Kaufer & Patty Pagaling” by filmmaker Robert Barrett:

Any information found on this website is for educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you choose to, please harvest and use wild plants responsibly.

Upcoming Events

Please join me for a Native Plant Walk on the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC)’s Ventura River Preserve. This is an OVLC event, part of their ongoing “All About Ojai” Environmental Learning Series. The walk[...]

We are pleased to present Jess Starwood, clinical herbalist and forager of wild medicine, in her first Ojai workshop. Jess is the owner of SunRaven Apothecary in Moorpark, California where she can be found brewing[...]